Viewpoint
By Randy Cole
Making Disciples by Shepherding
The Voice
John 10: 3b-5 - The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. (NASB)
In the past three months, we have covered the Sheep Fold, the Sheep Pen, and the Door. The next aspect of "shepherding" that we'll unpack is the concept of the Voice. "Voice" as a characteristic of a leader or shepherd is repeated five times in John 10. It should also be noted that there are two distinct voices mentioned in this context - the Voice of the Good Shepherd, and the voice of a stranger.
To get an idea about the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep, and the importance of the shepherd's voice, look at this passage from Phillip Keller's book "A Shepherd Looks at the Good Shepherd".
The relationship which rapidly develops between a shepherd and the sheep under his care is to a definite degree dependent upon the use of the shepherd's voice. Sheep quickly become accustomed to their owner's particular voice. They are acquainted with its unique tone. They know its peculiar sound and inflections. They can distinguish it from that of any other person.
If a stranger should come among them, they would not recognize nor respond to his voice in the same way they would to that of the shepherd. Even if the visitor should use the same words or phrases as that of their rightful owner they would not react in the same way. It is a case of becoming actually conditioned to the familiar nuances and personal accent of their shepherd's call.
Occasionally I would invite (strangers) to call my sheep using the same words and phrases which I habitually employed. But it was to no avail. The ewes and lambs, and even the rams, would simply stand and stare at the newcomers in rather blank bewilderment, as if to say "Who are you?"
John 10 tells us thatthe Shepherd's sheep hear, recognize, and respond to His voice.
1. How do we hear the Good Shepherd's voice? Here are a few ideas:
- Reading and listening to the Word
- Spending prayer time just listening to Him
- Listening to an expository sermon
- Listening to godly mentors
- Seeking advice from Christian friends and family
- Through different media sources, such as radio, TV, magazines and books
- Through the splendor and majesty of creation
- By the very character and nature of the Godhead
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